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The 2012 London Bird Report is now out - to get a copy please click here. Friday 7th November 2014 *Brookmill Park: Mandarin, 2 Kingfisher (Conrad Ellam) *Victoria Park: 1 Red-crested Pochard drake, 6 Pochard, 3 Egyptian Goose including 2 leucistic 1st winters, 16 Greylag Goose, 8+ Ring-necked Parakeet, 1 Jay (John Archer) * Wanstead Flats: No sign of "possible" Mourning Dove from yesterday in SSSI (based on our pooled sightings it was the best fit bird after some research), Peregrine Falcon, Kestrel, Stonechat male first winter (possibly 2 birds), Redwing, 10 + Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, 4 Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, 4 + Goldcrest (Nick Croft) *Woodford Green: Goshawk over treeline at 11.30am. (Ken Murray) Thursday 6th November 2014 *Brent Reservoir: Vis-mig 06:40-09:30: 1230 Woodpigeon, 29 Stock Dove, 7 Redwing, 7 Fieldfare, 43 Starling, 26 Chaffinch, (Andrew Verrall) *Broomfield Park, Palmers Green: Black-headed Gull adult-winter with yellow darvic on left leg 2BKT (Robert Callf) *Ewell Village: French ringed Black-Headed Gull FS70490 has returned for at least the fourth consecutive winter at Bourne Hall Lake (bird is approximately 6 years old). Present with around 100 other Black-Headed Gulls (Neil Batten). * Greenwich Park: 2 f Bullfinches, one of which stayed a while, Redpoll over (1st of autumn), 2 Meadow Pipit, Skylark heard, 90 Starlings W, 11 Redwings, 720+ Woodpigeons over (Joe Beale) * Hampstead Heath: 0800- 1100 Parliament Hill: 500 Woodpigeon (mostly W), 100 Fieldfare W, 10 Redwing, 10 Song Thrush, 50 Goldfinch over, 25 Greenfinch, Linnet, 5 Meadow Pipits, 5 Common Gull ( Pete Mantle, Green Grandad) * Oxleas Woods: Firecrest 09.05 (John Reid) If this is the bird that frequents your garden, then it is Jack Woods, not Oxleas. Yes, this is correct, however only Oxleas Wood (TQ450686) is quoted in the LNHS site gazetteer. The various woods of this area are all joined together, given this, I believe it is most easily found by anyone interested, if the 'Oxleas' name is used. * Queenstown Road (Battersea): 2 Grey Wagtails at station (Ian Stewart) * Regent's Park: 2 Lapwings, 3 Jackdaws, 6 Fieldfares, 10 Blackbirds west, 2 Stonechats NW, M Pipits, 42 Shovelers, 1 Teal, 16 Gadwall, 32 Red-crested Pochards, 7 Common Gulls, 24 Stock doves (Tony Duckett). * Richmond Park:' Dartford Warbler' - Lawn Field, 2 Buzzard through, 60 Fieldfare west, Chiffchaff. Pen Ponds: 4 Red-crested Pochard, 82 Wigeon, 62 Gadwall, 10 Shoveler, Kingfisher (J.Wilczur). Dartford Warbler '''showed occasionally in bracken south of Pen ponds near the 'log pile' c2pm, Grey Wagtail, 6 Stonechat, 2 Kestrel (Ian Stewart) * Sidcup DA15 (York Avenue): '''Woodlark '''flew SW 07.49 (site first), Cormorant high SW, Grey Heron low N mobbed by Parakeets, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine, 400+ Woodpigeon, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3+ Fieldfare, 25+ Redwing, Mistle Thrush S, Jay, Rook high N, 200+ Starling W, 20+ Chaffinch W (Ian Stewart) * Stocker's Farm, Rickmansworth: '''Raven, Little Owl, Stonechat, 4 Goldeneye on lake (Herts website). *Sunnymeads GP, Wraysbury: drake Lesser Scaup still with Tufties at N end 0925 (BirdGuides) * Sutcliffe Park: Little Egret, 3 Chiffchaff (Conrad Ellam) * Tufnell Park, N7: Grey Wagtail, 11.30am, feeding round garden pond (Neil Bowman) * Walthamstow Reservoirs (Lockwood): c12 Fieldfare over W, 4 Mistle Thrush, 1 Redwing, 1 Green Sandpiper, 3 Wigeon, pr Teal, 2 GBB Gulls (Lol Bodini) * Wanstead Flats: 2 Fieldfare, Redwing, 5 Song Thrush, Reed Bunting, 2 Linnet, Skylark, 6 Meadow Pipit, 4 Pied Wagtail, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, 3 Teal, 3 Shoveler, Gadwall, 4 Little Grebe (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan) Currently Bob and Rich are trying to track down what could be an exciting bird, Bob and I have poor views of a dove sized (and looking) bird with a longish pin-tail, flushed from beneath trees in the SSSI, dark above with a hint of white on the flank, so if your in the vicinity.... * Wanstead Park: 50 Gadwall, 3 Shoveler, 15 Pochard, 40 + Tufted Duck, 4 Little Grebe, 2 Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Sparrowhawk, Goldcrest (Nick Croft) *Woodford Green: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Little Egret and 3 Common Buzzards (all fly pasts) up to 11.30 am. (Ken Murray). Wednesday 5th November 2014 *Bow Creek: 1 Common Sandpiper, 12 Redshank in high tide roost, 9 Teal (John Archer) *Brent Reservoir: Vis-mig 06:30-09:15: Yellowhammer, 84 Starling, 1835 Woodpigeon, 10 Stock Dove, 83 Redwing, 6 Fieldfare, 23 Chaffinch, 2 Lesser Redpoll; also 2 Peregrine, Tawny Owl seen, Chiffchaff (Andrew Self, Andrew Verrall). * Brookmill Park: Mandarin, 2 Kingfisher, Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam) * East India Dock Basin: 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Little Grebe, 105 Teal, 1 Grey Wagtail (John Archer) * Greenwich Park: 970+ Woodpigeon over with 2-3 Stock Doves mixed in, Siskins heard over, Skylark heard, 2 Fieldfares, 28 Redwings west, 12+ Chaffinch, Grey Wagtail (Joe Beale) * Hampstead Heath: Morning on the Hill, v.chilly. Fieldfare c70, Redwing 20, Wood Pigeon 200 +, 2 Redpoll over. (Green Grandad, Dave Porritt) * Leyton Flats: Kingfisher, Shoveler, Great Crested Grebe x 2, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay x 2 (RO) Brambling over Gilberts Slade at dawn, 4 Redwing, Linnet, Grey Wagtail, 6+ Goldcrest, 17 Gadwall (Hollow and Eagle Ponds), drake Shoveler, Green Woodpecker, 2 Egyptian Geese (Stuart Fisher) * Richmond Park: Dartford Warbler - Lawn Field, in bracken east of Lower Pen Pond (J.Wilczur) * Roding Valley Park: Kingfisher, Kestrel, Jay (Alan Hobson). * St James's Park: Kingfisher showing well this morning and a Grey Wagtail this afternoon (Frank Nugent). ; Frank, can you tell me where is best to look or the kingfisher please ? thanks, Toni. Hi Toni. The Kingfisher makes good use of the Lake in its entirety but a usually reliable place to wait is on the south side of the Lake opposite the Pelican Rocks. Also try the Western end of the Lake by Buckingham Palace as it's sometimes at the reedbed (best viewed from the north side) and environs. Hope that this helps. Good luck! (Frank Nugent). *Sunnymeads GP, Wraysbury: drake Lesser Scaup again opp Welley Ave 1540 (BirdGuides) * Waddon Ponds(Croydon) :Male Gadwall, Canada Goose, Little Grebe, c50 Black-headed Gull inc Danish ringed VBA, Hering Gull, 150-200 Ring necked Parakeet. (Ernie Thomason) * Walthamstow Marsh: 4 Stonechat (James Palmer) * Wanstead Flats: Brambling, Linnet, 2 Reed Bunting, 36 Fieldfare, 8 Redwing, 10 + Song Thrush, 300 + Common Gull, 200 + Black-headed Gull, 2 Kestrel, 8 Skylark, 6 Meadow Pipit, 4 Pied Wagtail, Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, 15 Gadwall, 8 Shoveler, 3m Teal, 2 f Pochard, 5 Little Grebe, 600 + Wood Pigeon south (Nick Croft) * Wanstead Park/Bush Wood: Firecrest, 6 + Goldcrest (Bob Vaughan) * Waterworks NR: 12 Teal, 5 Common Snipe, Green Woodpecker (James Palmer) Tuesday 4th November 2014 *Alexandra Park: Female Bullfinch Cricket Scrub 0740 (site year 1st), also 159 Woodpigeon, 4 Lesser Redpoll by 0735, 2 m Gadwall Tunnel Res (Bob Watts) * Beckton Creekside/Sewage Works: c615 Black-headed Gull, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Common Gull, Common Sandpiper, c65 Cormorant, 95 Teal (Peter Beckenham) * Beddington SF: 3,200 Woodpigeon SW in 30 mins (BFBG via Twitter) * Brent Reservoir: Vis-mig 06:30-08:50: Lapwing S, 38 Starling, 910 Woodpigeon, 28 Stock Dove, Linnet, 24 Chaffinch (Andrew Verrall); 5 Ruddy Duck, 14 Snipe, 7 Water Rail, Lapwing (on mud), 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Reed Bunting (Leo Batten, Roy Beddard, Andrew Haynes, Pete Lowman) * East India Dock Basin: Cormorant - the Estonian-ringed bird again on the pier, 1 Little Grebe, 133 Teal (John Archer) * Greenwich Park: 25+ Chaffinches over, 150+ Woodpigeons with 5-6 Stock Doves mixed in, Brambling heard, Goldfinch high south (Joe Beale). * Hampstead Heath: Morning over the Hill. 300 Wood Pigeon. 20 Chaffinch, 2 M Pipits, ! or 2 Brambling, 4 Bullfinches (not seen them for a while!) (Greengrandad and Dave Porritt) * Hackney E9: Male Pheasant on pavement 8.30am Victoria Park Road (Jan Dobbie) * London Wetland Centre: 3 Redpoll, 4 Skylark(W/SW), 1 Jack Snipe, 2 Stonechat, 2 Chiffchaff (Adam Salmon) 1m Pintail, at least 4 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Reed Bunting, 2 Water Rail (Martin Honey) * Oxleas Woods: 2 Firecrest (m & f) in Firethorn and Yew 07.30-07.45, also 2 Goldcrest & c10 Long Tailed Tit. Male Pheasant in next door garden 09.30 (John Reid) * Rainham Marshes RSPB: 2 Egyptian Goose, 8 Stonechat, 80 Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff, 4 Brent Goose, Marsh Harrier (ELBF via Twitter) * Richmond Park: 2''' Dartford Warbler''' (J.Few, G. Russell per JW)15 Stonechat (J.Wilczur, S. Read, M.Lewis) * Sutcliffe Park: Kingfisher, 2 little Grebe, pair Mute Swans, Common Snipe, 8 Mistle Thrush, 6 Song Thrush, 3 Redwing, Fieldfare, 11 Blackbird. (P Kite) * Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park: male Firecrest '''still with 2+ Goldcrest in mixed tit flock Sanctuary Wood (Bob Watts) * Vauxhall: f Peregrine (Michael Mac) * Verulamium Park St Albans: '''Raven over lake (Herts website). * Waddon Ponds (Croydon): 1 Greylag Goose, 1 Grey Wagtail, (Ernie Thomason) * Wanstead Flats: m Stonechat, 10 Fieldfare, 7 Mistle Thrush, Redpoll sp, 2-3 Bullfinch, 2 Linnet, 2 Reed Bunting, 8 Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, 3 Skylark, 3 Goldcrest, 19 Gadwall, 12 Shoveler, 11 Tufted Duck, m Pochard, 3 + Little Grebe, 2 Kestrel, Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan) * Waterworks NR: Water Rail, Kingfisher (showing extremely well in bed 17), 7 Common Snipe, Sparrowhawk, Green Woodpecker, 8 Teal, Little Grebe, 2 Wigeon (Alan Hobson). * Wormwood Scrubs LNR: 4 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Bullfinch (pair), c400 Woodpigeon, Stock Dove, Jackdaw, Redwing, 2 Reed Bunting, 10 Meadow Pipit, c3,000 Ring-necked Parakeet (Twitter) Monday 3rd November 2014 *Barn Elms Sports Centre SW13: Tawny Owl calling from trees at about 17:10 (Mike Caiden) * Beddington SF: Short-eared owl '(a.m.) (BFBG via Twitter) * Broomfield Park, Palmers Green, N13: Black-headed Gull adult-winter yellow darvic ring on left leg 2BKT or ZBKT? (Robert Callf). ''Might be North Thames Gull Group.'' Has it been reported? (Martin Honey) Yes I reported it to BTO (Robert Callf)'' *Dagenham Chase LNR: Brambling calling overhead, 1 male Stonechat, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 12 Wigeon, 6 Gadwall and 3 Water Rail. ( V.Halley-Frame ). * Lonsdale Rd Res: 12 Cormorant, 41 Shoveler, 8 Gadwall, 16 Teal (Neil Anderson) *Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park: '''Firecrest heard in abysmal weather Sanctuary Wood (Bob Watts) * Victoria Embankment: Caspian_Gull reported coming to bread 1215 - subsequently re-identified as Yellow-legged Gull (BirdGuides) * Walthamstow Marshes: 1 Egyptian Goose (Rear Paddocks), 1 Goldcrest, 1 Peregrine, 4 Snipe flew SE from West Warwick at 16.30pm (Adam Winstanley). * Waterworks NR. At least one Jacksnipe still present at 08:30 in Basin 16 (Quentin Given); no Jack Snipe visible by 10:00 (Matthew Cunningham); 1 Jack Snipe, 4 Snipe, 7 Teal, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Peregrine, 1 Cetti's Warbler (heard only) from 15.00-15.45pm (Adam Winstanley) Sunday 2nd November 2014 *Brent Reservoir: c500 Ring-necked Parakeets flew over 07:30-08:00 presumably from roost at the Scrubs, also 2 Peregrines; viz-mig: 7 Redwing, 2 Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, 4 Starling, 5 Chaffinch & 3 Greenfinch (Andrew Self); 17 Snipe, 3 Green Sandpiper, 5 Ruddy Duck (Roy Beddard); Bittern seen in reed-bed opposite Main Hide at 12.40 (Bob Husband) *Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Kingfisher (Conrad Ellam) *Connaught Water: red-head Smew nr new boardwalk 0800 - belated report (BirdGuides) *Dagenham Chase: Short-eared Owl over 1:11pm-1:26pm flying slowly towards Hornchurch CP (Twitter) *Gallions Reach: 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Curlew, 1 Rock Pipit, 1 Brambling. (Gary A James & Paul Davis) *Grays: Short-eared Owl S over Thames reported 1100 (BirdGuides) * KGV Reservoir: Black-necked Grebe on the South basin N/W corner, 4 Goldeneye, 1 Goosander on the North basin (Neville Smith). * Leyton, Jubilee Park: 1620 Ring necked Parakeet, 5 Meadow Pipit, pr Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, 13 Redwing, 8 Fieldfare, Green Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail, Sparrowhawk (Stuart Fisher) *Queen Mother Reservoir: Snow Bunting at chainage marker '1450' at 12:50pm, still at marker '2000' at 14:10 but flighty (BirdGuides) * Ten Acre Wood area (before deluge!): Buzzard, m Sparrowhawk putting up finch flock, m Kestrel, Green Sandpiper, Snipe, Grey Wagtail, c5 Meadow Pipit, pr Stonechat, Redwing, Chiffchaff, 2 Rook, 5 Reed Bunting, pr Bullfinch, 40+ Linnet (Neil Anderson) * Wanstead Flats: 15 Fieldfare, 10 Redwing, Reed Bunting, 2 Goldcrest, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 3 Teal, Gadwall, 3 Shoveler, 5 Meadow Pipit, Skylark (Nick Croft/BobVaughan) * Wanstead Park: Little Egret, 6 + Little Grebe, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, Sparrowhawk, 60 + Gadwall, 31 Tufted Duck, 16 + Pochard, 6 Shoveler, m Wigeon, 6 + Goldcrest and a blue budgie (Nick Croft) * Waterworks NR: 2 Jack Snipe , Bed 16 , 13 common snipe, 51 teal, 3 wigeon 2/3 Cettis, (Jamie Partridge, Mike Messenger) 2 Jack Snipe still in bed 16 at 3pm (G Howie, Sue Huckle, JW Davies) Saturday 1st November 2014 * Poplar: Limehouse Cut Canal. 3:45pm flying east bound, low along the waterline under Morris Road bridge. saw Kingfisher till out of sight after about 5 secs * Bow: Black redstart (m), NE bank of the Lea, 50-200m SE of Bow Roundabout, near graffiti reading 'The Grass is Always Greener'. Also juv kestrel, dunnock, 2 grey wagtail (Matthew Cunningham) * Brent Reservoir: Bittern '''showed briefly but superbly at 0845 on opposite bank reed bed from main hide, also 5 Ruddy Duck (m, 4f), 2 Water Rail, leucistic Black-headed Gull (Bob Watts, Henry Wyn-jones, Andrews Self & Verrall et al) Earlier vis-mig 2 Meadow Pipit, 32 Redwing, 7 Fieldfare, 105 Starling, 156 Woodpigeon, 30 Stock Dove, Siskin, 4 Linnet, 43 Chaffinch, Bullfinch. Also male Peregrine and 2 Chiffchaff. * Dartford Marshes: 5 Little Egret, 60 Wigeon, 70 Dunlin, 100 Lapwing. 150 Golden Plover, 3 Ringed Plover, 150 Redhank, 2 Common Sandpiper, 7 Black-tailed Godwit, Kingfisher, 3 Rock Pipit, Stonechat, 5 Rook, 4 Common Seals (Conrad Ellam) * Greenwich Park: Bullfinch (rare here) west, Skylarks heard, 260+ Woodpigeons S, 2 Fieldfares, 23 Starlings W, 2 Blackbirds W, Brambling heard, Siskins heard, 3 Linnets S, 25+ Redwing, 90+ Chaffinch W, 15+ Goldfinch probably on the move S, 2 Egyptian Geese (Joe Beale) * Hampstead Heath: Morning watch- 400 Wood Pigeons, 110 Redwings,8 Linnets, 60 Starlings, 4 Meadow Pipits, 1 Redpoll. (GreenGrandad, with Dave and Frank.) * Kew Gardens: 13 Greylag, 2pr Egyptian geese, Grey Wagtail, 5 Redwing feeding in Yew, 3 Red Admiral, Peacock Butterfly (Neil Anderson/K.Bull) * Leyton, Jubilee Park: 1550 Ring necked Parakeet, 1120 Woodpigeon west, 10 Stock Dove E, 54 Chaffinch (most N-NW), 38 Goldfinch, Linnet, 7 Skylark NW, 28 Meadow Pipit and Reed Bunting left roost in grass, 110 Redwing W, 16 Fieldfare over, Sparrowhawk, Green Woodpecker, Goldcrest, Chiffchaff (Stuart Fisher) * London Wetland Centre: 1 '''Little Gull '''1st W on resr lagoon then flew towards main lake or river (0820hrs), 1 '''Water Pipit (marsh), 33 Meadow Pipit(SE+W), 40 Chaffinch(W+NW), 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Mandarin (Adam Salmon) 2 Jack Snipe grazing marsh plus 10 Common Snipe, 1m Peregrine on Ch. X Hospital, 1m 1f Stonechat, 1m Pintail (Martin Honey) * Margravine Cemetery: 2 Goldcrest, Green Woodpecker, Sparrowhawk over S, 2 Greenfinch, 2 Peregrine Falcon, 4 Red Admiral (Nathalie Mahieu, Maggie O'Brien). * Rainham Marshes RSPB: Raven, c. 10 Stonechat, 15 + singing Cetti's Warbler, Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, 30 + Redwing, 50 + Fieldfare, 200 Golden Plover, 12 Ringed Plover, 96 Dunlin, 8 Black-tailed Godwit, 140 Redshank, Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier (Dave Morrison/RSPB) * Richmond Park: vis-mig 07.30-09.30: 1,800 Wood Pigeon, 6 Stock Dove, 15 Skylark, 120 Song Thrush, 7 Redwing, 85 Fieldfare, 180 Starling, 47 Chaffinch, 8 Greenfinch, 2 Reed Bunting. Also: Snipe, 13 Skylark grounded, 2 Stonechat - in different area to yesterday, 30 Blackbird in scrub in NW section and near Ham Gate (J.Wilczur) Dartford Warbler - Lawn Field mid day, 4 Stonechat (pair either side of Lower Pen Pond) c15 Common Darter around Lower Pen Pond end (Steve Woolfenden)' Lesser Spotted Woodpecker' heard QE Pltn (P.Burrows-Smith per JW) * Staines Moor: Red Kite (west 14:00), 3+ Buzzard, 4+ Kestrel, Grey Wagtail, Stonechat, 4 Little Grebe (James Hudson), 4+ Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Cetti's Warbler, Goldcrest (bushes near Stanwell Moor), Kingfisher (Barbara & Jarek Francik) *Staines Reservoir: Yellow Wagtail (per Surrey BC) * Stocker's Lake: 3 Goldeneye (Herts website). *Sunnymeads GP, Wraysbury: Lesser Scaup drake flew in 0840 & showed well in front of island (just outside London area) till flushed by fishing boat 1330 & flew off high S (Berks BC, Twitter, BirdGuides) * Swanley Park : Teal (m), 20+ Redwing, Blackcap (Andy Meaton) * Tottenham Marsh: Stonechat still at south end of Clendish Marsh (James Palmer) * Walthamstow Reservoirs: Common Sandpiper and Goldeneye on Lockwood; 2 Wigeon on East Warwick; 2 Stonechat and a Reed Bunting on West Warwick; flock of c50 Fieldfare south high and six low into bushes on north side, c20 Redwing SW. (David Bradshaw) * Whitings Hill Barnet: Tawny Owl calling and seen last night 20.40 seems to be holding territory (David Martens) 'Archived News' LONDON BIRDING NEWS FROM ALMOST EVERY PREVIOUS MONTH SINCE JULY 2002 {C}